Persistence pays off! After battling for four years against a Freedom of Information request, ministers have been ordered to publish two reviews into the ID card scheme.

The Information Tribunal has ordered the reviews to be published within 28 days.

The independent “gateway” reviews from 2003 and 2004 will give an insight into the creation of the draft Identity Cards bill.

Although not expected to reveal anything controversial, the success in getting the reviews published is a real victory for the public over the Government. Freedom of Information should be just that.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: “The government is increasingly realising that its ID card scheme is a laminated poll tax with all the same toxic ability to make it unpopular.

“Ministers would win more plaudits if they did not drag their feet on their legal obligations.”